Page 47 of The Pickleball Girl Finds Her Match

“Is it?” murmured Endy.

Sebastian picked Endy up in his arms, cradled her, and carried her into the casita. He laid her down on the lumpy sofa and then walked into the bathroom. Endy heard the water running in the shower, and then Sebastian was standing over her, lifting her up again.

“Let’s get you warmed up.” He carried her into the bathroom and sat her on the edge of the bathtub. “Lift up your arms,” he said.

He pulled her T-shirt over her head, then pulled off her shoes and socks. He worked her leggings down and tossed them aside.

He held out his hand, and Endy grasped it and stood up. Once she was standing, Sebastian reached around and unhooked her bra, then eased her panties down over her slender hips. Endy stepped into the warm cascade of the shower, the hot water spraying on her face. She sighed.

Then the shower curtain pulled back, and Sebastian, naked, stepped in next to Endy. The steam swirled around them as they stood together, enveloped in the warmth. Endy closed her eyes and leaned her back against Sebastian’s chest. He lifted her hair and kissed her neck, and then he turned her around, kissing below her chin, and ran his nose along her jaw to her ear.

“You are so beautiful,” Sebastian said softly. His hands rubbed up and down Endy’s arms, turning her skin rosy.

She reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. She pulled his face down to hers, kissing him hard.

“Are you warm yet?” he murmured, his lips still pressed against hers.

Endy reached out for Sebastian’s hand, then guided it between her legs. “Not quite,” she whispered, her tongue slipping past his lips.

Endy rolled over, out of the tangle of bed sheets, and patted the nightstand, searching for her phone. She and Sebastian had tumbled into bed, warm from shower sex, and had promptly fallen asleep, their legs twined together, her head on his chest. She felt better, not so cold anymore, but still something bothered her. Something she couldn’t put her finger on.

And then the buzzing of a phone had awakened her.

Endy climbed out of bed and pulled a T-shirt over her head, her hair still damp from their shower. In the dark, she searched for the buzzing phone, finally following the sound to the kitchen, where it lay on the counter.

Endy picked up the phone just as the buzzing stopped, and she turned it over. Six missed calls glowed on the phone’s screen: two from BIBI and four from SHORTY.

Endy’s shoulders sagged and she bent her head, resting it against the kitchen wall. A lump formed in her throat, and the shadows in her apartment seemed to press heavily against her.

She was deathly still when Sebastian stepped into the kitchen. He had pulled on his shorts, and his hair spiked wildly up from sleeping on it while it was still wet. He rubbed his hand across his jaw.

“Hey, you alright?”

Endy looked up, then slid the phone across the countertop to Sebastian. “Your phone was ringing.”

Sebastian checked the phone’s screen and frowned.

Endy walked away to the living room and stood looking out at the stack of moving boxes still lying in the darkened yard. Sebastian approached her and saw what she was looking at.

“U-Haul boxes?” he asked.

“I told you that my landlords are selling the house, didn’t I?” Endy replied.

“But I thought that wasn’t for a while, like in a couple of months.”

“Yeah, but why should I wait? I might as well start packing now,” Endy said.

Sebastian’s frown deepened and his eyes grew wary. “But you’re just moving to a new apartment,” he said. “You’re staying in the desert, right?”

Endy leaned forward, her head resting against the window.

She bit at her bottom lip. “I might, but I’m just not sure now. I kind of think it’d be nice to live by the beach or the mountains again. Maybe someplace cooler.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

“Someplace cooler? You were shivering like crazy earlier,” Sebastian said. He paused, staring at the moonlight playing across Endy’s face. “Endy, what’s really up?”

“I honestly don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired … tired of caring.” She closed her eyes. “I care too much about Picklers … and I care too much about my job … and I cared so much for Paul Rothman.” She swallowed. “And all of it’s going to be gone.” Endy couldn’t bring herself to include that she cared so much for Sebastian, but two other women were determined to keep him away from her, so he would be gone too.

Endy took a deep breath. “I just can’t …”

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